as in close
lacking fresh air
the lecture hall was stifling until we opened several windows
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in strangling
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
unfortunately, the robbers were stifled when they got trapped in the airless bank vault
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2
as in suppressing
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
stifled a yawn
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3
as in muffling
to deaden the sound of
he stifled a cough with his hand
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifling
Zareef Hamid, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
These outdated practices are slowing down your teams, stifling progress and ultimately costing you money.
—Patrick Reynolds, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Create comprehensive yet flexible guidelines for creators that ensure brand consistency without stifling creativity.
—Tiffany Lopinsky, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Any attempt to do so would have to resort to crude tools, which would be either too restrictive, stifling investment, or too loose, letting bad actors through.
—Lorand Laskai, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2018
Verb
Fintech companies and their partners must collaborate closely with regulators to develop standards that protect consumers without stifling innovation.
—Zareef Hamid, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
These outdated practices are slowing down your teams, stifling progress and ultimately costing you money.
—Patrick Reynolds, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Create comprehensive yet flexible guidelines for creators that ensure brand consistency without stifling creativity.
—Tiffany Lopinsky, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Any attempt to do so would have to resort to crude tools, which would be either too restrictive, stifling investment, or too loose, letting bad actors through.
—Lorand Laskai, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifling
Adjective
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Ballot recounts are scheduled Tuesday for two close Ramsey County races.Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2024
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China demonstrated its pull on the world stage by welcoming a delegation from Saudi Arabia with its first pavilion at the event, as well as its close ties with Russia even as that country is isolated from Western nations and their allies due to its invasion of Ukraine.Reuters, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The material achieves this by reacting strongly with the battery electrodes and suppressing processes that generate hydrogen.Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2024
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Research has shown that suppressing emotional expression leads to poorer conversation quality and a reduced sense of connection.Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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What might feel supportive to one person could feel suffocating or unhelpful to another.Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
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The goaltender finished with a career-high 19 saves, anchoring a suffocating defensive unit.Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2024
Verb
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Armed with that information, off-roading is a lot less likely to be marred by choking, toxic smoke that comes along with dangerous levels of combustion if users know which areas to avoid.Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
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The trial of Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran charged in the May 2023 choking death of a homeless man in a New York City subway car, is set to begin Monday with jury selection.Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Epinephrine injections, or EpiPens, are reserved for people with severe allergic reactions — such as trouble breathing or swallowing — which can sometimes be life-threatening.Erika Edwards, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2024
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Generally, those neurons control skeletal muscle activity, including walking, breathing, speaking and swallowing, according to the National Institutes of Health.Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Bingo! Alivia's tantrum hack—to keep things lighthearted—is a simple one, but a great reminder that not everything has to be so stuffy.Tanay Howard, Parents, 8 Oct. 2024
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Or maybe a stuffy, lackluster atmosphere puts a damper on the entire getaway.Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory.Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution.Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2011
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Cite this Entry
“Stifling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifling. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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